“Well, yes. I suppose you could check in on the children you brought home if you’re looking for company.”
She plucked at the ivory blouse she wore and bit her lip. “Are you certain, Sohan?” she asked. “Your feelings about this are strong?”
“Yes.” I drew out the word, giving her a puzzled look. “But don’t go off and do anything dangerous while I’m gone. I’ll be back before you know it. Take a nice bath and relax. You deserve a break too.”
“A bath?” Ana looked down at her body and grimaced. “Yes,” she said softly. “I will rest for a while. And you will be careful as well?” Her eyes were bright and unreadable.
Nodding, I said, “I will.”
She handed me the amulet. When I protested that she might need it, she shook her head. “I have the rope,” she said. “Even if I didn’t, the Damon Amulet heeds my call now. I can draw upon its power from a distance.”
Can she? It was interesting that the medallion, named for me, responded to her in such a way. I knew she’d abandoned the bag of weapons and gifts, leaving them at home and only calling upon them when she needed them, but they were hers, the gifts and weapons of Durga. I didn’t know how to feel about her wielding the amulet as if it belonged to her as well. She was the goddess, though, I surmised and decided to leave it at that.
I turned and, over my shoulder, said, “Good night, Ana.”
“Good-bye, Sohan.”
Light cast my figure in a long shadow and then it was gone. Using the power of the amulet, I threw myself into space and time. Soon, my tiger feet touched down on the jungle floor. I ran and ran until I was spent. When I came upon a familiar trail, I followed it until I finally came upon the dark hollow I’d been looking for.
Chapter 31
Future Glimpse
Crawling inside, I lay down and rested my head on my paws, heaving a deep sigh. It was my niche, literally my man cave, er, my tiger cave. It was the place I’d called home for most of my life. I wasn’t sure when I was. Not really. The amulet just responded to my desire to find my cave.
At first, I didn’t know why I felt the need to run. It wasn’t like I was unhappy or upset. It was more like I was confused. Especially after spending so much time with Ana. That dream I’d had coupled with that kiss had done something to me. Not only had it made me aware of her in ways I wasn’t entirely comfortable with but it turned everything I knew and believed upside down.
Was the truth stone hidden in the Grove of Dreams showing me a certain future? Something inevitable? Or was it pushing me toward it? Guiding me like Kadam did? What did I really feel for Ana? Did I like her? Yes. It took a long time for me to understand her, but I did now. And not only that, I respected her.
Then there was the big question. Was I in love with Ana? Truthfully, I didn’t know. Could I be someday? Possibly. Whatever I felt for her, it wasn’t comfortable or easy like it had been with Yesubai or Kelsey. But maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. Certainly, love hadn’t come easily for Ren or even Sunil. They’d both had to fight to find happiness. Was I willing to do the same?
And what about her feelings? She’d responded to my kiss in the grove, but she’d been half-asleep then. Since that episode, she’d seemed distant. Ana was as closed off to me now as she had been at the beginning. It was strange that she allowed me to see certain things very clearly. But anything related to her current feelings was hidden too deep for me to unearth.
The future I’d once planned for myself seemed like a faraway dream now, like a mirage that drew farther away each time I sought it out. I’d resigned myself to a life of serving the goddess. To helping others. I thought that I wasn’t meant to have a happily ever after. That it was time to let the idea of children and a woman who loved me fade like a colorful shawl that had hung out too long on the line.
But then there was that kiss. That dream. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Every time I closed my eyes, I relived it. Was Ana indeed the woman in my dream or was she just the one in my arms when I woke? Maybe it wasn’t real. But it certainly felt real enough. That woman had said she loved me. I’d responded in kind, and when I said it, the words rang true. I wished I had a truth stone around my neck so I could ask.
Night came on and with it a stiff breeze, the kind that was weighty and water-filled. It ruffled my fur and tickled my nose. The sky opened in a storm and thunder boomed as the darkened world was lit by lightning. I tried to sleep, but when I did manage to ignore the storm, I was assaulted by a tempest of memories—those of sculpted lips moving on mine with the softest of kisses, the feel of silken hair tickling my arms, and of two bodies melding together in a frantic sort of harmony.
By the time the ash-gray sky gave way to the steel blue of the morning, I decided that I needed to know how she felt and if there was a chance for us at all. The centuries ahead looked much brighter if the future I dreamt of could come to pass. I wanted to ask Anamika if she’d meant it when she said she loved her tiger. Even if she couldn’t love the man yet, it was a start.
Thoughts of what might be possible between us filled me with a new hope. My heart had been broken more than once, but it beat still. I was still capable of loving someone. I had something to offer. Rising, I shook the damp from my coat and stretched in a way only a tiger could. After popping my jaw in a huge yawn, I trotted down a familiar trail. Being in my jungle was rare now and I wanted to pay my respects to my parents.
When I neared the place where they were buried, I caught the scent of someone familiar. Not knowing the year meant I needed to be careful, but if I had to cross paths with anyone, the best person would be him. Maybe I could ask him some of my burning questions. I followed my nose to a copse of trees on the far side of what used to be my mother’s garden. There I found him crouching behind some plants. He’d made quite a hiding place for himself.
I growled softly and he spun, his hand on his heart. “Hello, son,” he said warily after he caught his breath.
Switching to human form, I crept through the plants and peeped through the brush. “Kadam.” I nodded, then raised my brows. “What are you looking for?” I asked.
“Well, that’s a good question.” He licked his lips nervously.
Just then, I heard the unmistakable sound of a plane. He froze in place, his eyes sunken.
“Did you have something you wanted to tell me?” I asked.
“No. That is…if you have a question, I’m certain I can—”
I raised a hand, cutting him off. “I have a lot of questions, the first of which is, what are you doing here?”
“I was going to ask you the same.”
“Well, as for me, I’m trying to figure out how I feel about Ana and…”
“Ana?” His thick eyebrows furrowed.
“Yes. Ana. You know, the goddess Durga?”
“The goddess?” Kadam’s mouth fell open. He looked dumbfounded in a way that scared me. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
“Hey, are you okay?” I asked, concerned for him. “Is traveling through time taking a toll?”
“Traveling through… Oh, I see. You are roaming as I am.”
“Yes.” I drew the word out as I peered into his eyes, looking for signs of a breakdown. Kadam’s cheeks were hollow and his skin was pallid.
He let out a deep breath. “That is a relief, Kishan. I was worried I had been discovered.” Reaching over, he gripped my arm. “I confess I feared I was venturing into madness. My heart is cold with apprehension, and I cannot tell you how much comfort your nearness gives me. Will you stay with me until it’s over?”
“Until what’s over?” I asked.